madame

[ muh-dam, -dahm, ma-; mad-uhm; French ma-dam ]
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noun,plural mes·dames [mey-dam, -dahm; French mey-dam]. /meɪˈdæm, -ˈdɑm; French meɪˈdam/. (often initial capital letter)
  1. a French title of respect equivalent to “Mrs.”, used alone or prefixed to a woman's married name or title: Madame Curie.

  2. (in English) a title of respect used in speaking to or of an older woman, especially one of distinction, who is not of American or British origin. Abbreviation: Mme.

Origin of madame

1
From French, dating back to 1590–1600; see origin at madam

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British Dictionary definitions for madame

madame

/ (ˈmædəm, French madam) /


nounplural mesdames (ˈmeɪˌdæm, French medam)
  1. a married Frenchwoman: usually used as a title equivalent to Mrs, and sometimes extended to older unmarried women to show respect and to women of other nationalities

Origin of madame

1
C17: from French. See madam

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012